Primary School nr 277 im. Elizy Orzeszkowej Warsaw, Poland Coordinator: Joanna Grzymała.

Primary School nr 277im. Elizy Orzeszkowej

Warsaw, Poland

Coordinator: Joanna Grzymała

European Christmas TreeDecoration Exchange

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POLAND(The Republic of Poland)

Flag of Poland Emblem of Poland

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POLAND

• Year of accession to the European Union: 2004

• Political system: republic• Capital: Warsaw• Area: 312679 km2• Population: 38,1 million• Currency: zloty• Official language: Polish

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Poland on the map

Poland is a country located in Central Europe.The northern Polish border is Baltic Sea. On the west, Poland borders with Germany, on the south - with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, on the east with Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia.Poland, for the most part of the area, is a lowland country. Polish landscape is still very varied. In the south of the country there are two Sudeten and Carpathian Mountains with its highest peak Rysy (2499m) in the range of the High Tatras.Polish lakes – Masuria stretches in the north-east region and on the north there are sandy beaches of the Baltic.Poland is in the temperate climate zone between continental and Atlantic. In summer temperatures reach 20° C, in winter falls below 0° C.

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Fall in love with Poland

Tatry - Giewont

Baltic Sea

Mzurian

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Mazowsze (Mazovia)

Mazovia is the central Polish region. It takes more than 11% of Polish territory and lies at the crossroads of major routes.

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WarsawThe region's capital is Warsaw, which is also the Polish capital. Warsaw lies in the "heart of Europe". Lines cross here pointing the geometric center of Europe.Mazovia, as a whole central Poland, is a lowland. The landscape is dominated by agricultural lands and orchards. Forests are 20% of the region. Near Warsaw there is Kampinos Forest, one of the largest national parks in Poland. The longest Polish river Wisła (Vistula) flows through Mazowsze.

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Christmas

Poles are very close to their tradition, they like to celebrate and they are very hospitable.Because 95% of Poles are Roman Catholics, most family gatherings are associated with the celebration of the biggest church holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Corpus Christi, or All Saints Day.

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In Poland Christmas is celebrated very family and solemnly. Each region of the country has its own rituals, traditional dishes and proverbs associated with Christmas holidays.We want to tell you how we celebrate Christmas in Mazovia.

Poland Christmas

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Christmas Eve (Wigilia)is celebrated in Poland on 24th December .

In the Polish tradition it is a day of vigilance and waiting for Christmas. Christmas Eve starts from special supper. The supper table is carefully prepared, covered with white cloth, with some hay under it (as a reminder of hay, on which the Divine Child lay). According to tradition, we should add one extra plate making the table. Free seat at the table waits for the accidental guest. In this way, we also express the memory of our loved ones who can not spend Christmas with us.

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The first star

Christmas Eve supper begins when the first star appears in thesky. This tradition refers to the star of Bethlehem seen by three Kings on their way to Bethlehem.

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Wafer

The most important moment on Christmas Eve in Poland is breaking and sharing the wafer. Wafer is a thin flake of white bread baked from flour and water. In Poland, is a symbol of peacemaking and forgiveness. Sharing the wafer, we wish each other happiness and we forgive everything. This custom also teaches, that it is necessary to share with another man, even the last piece of bread.

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Christmas Eve dishesChristmas Eve is based on simple dishes. According to tradition, there should be twelve, in remembrance of the twelve apostles.First served dish is a traditional Christmas soup, depending on the region it is a beetroot soup with dumplings or mushroom soup. In addition to fish dishes on Christmas table we serve also dumplings with mushrooms, Christmas sauerkraut, twisters with poppy seeds, as well as traditional kutia and compote of dried fruits.For dessert, there are cakes: gingerbread with nuts and raisins, poppy-seed cake and cheesecake.

* You should know that according to tradition, during Christmas Eve supper, we should try each dish, which will give us wealth in the coming year.

Beetroot soup

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Santa ClausPolish children the same as other children all around the world look him forward. In Poland, Santa Claus visits the children twice.On 6th December during so-called “Mikołajki”- he brings children small gifts and sweets. Again he visited children on 24thDecember on Christmas Eve.Small children and those slightly larger write letters to him asking for perfect gift.Santa secretly puts presents under the Christmas tree during Christmas Eve.

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Christmas treeDecember in Polish homes people decorate Christmas trees. Traditional Polish Christmas tree is a handmade ornaments. Each of them has its own symbolism. A paper star is placed on the top of Christmas tree as a symbol of a Bethlehem star leading three Kings to the Infant Jesus.Apples hanging on the branches are a symbol of health and golden nuts – a sign of welfare. Twisting straw and tissue paper chains are the symbol of snake-tempter.The Christmas tree could not do without sweets - sweet colorful candy and gingerbread are also Christmas decorations.Christmas trees decorate Polish homes till 6th January- Epiphany Day.

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Christmas shed

It shows inside of the stable of Bethlehem on the night of the birth of Jesus Christ. The baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph are the figures of each Christmas shed. A small nativity scene is placed in the home according to the tradition of decorated Christmas tree.In Poland it is common practice to prepare nativity scene in churches. They often include mobile elements and characters, sometimes they have true animals. Watching nativity scenes are a great attraction for children and adults during Christmas time.

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Carolerswere people wearing special costumes, who during the Christmas time went from house to house with the wishes of happiness in the New Year. In that group obligatory should be present: Three Kings, shepherds, Old-Man, Old-Lady, a Jew and a Gypsy. They also wore masks to scare viewers – for jokes of course. The most popular was the Turon, mounted on a stick with snapping jaws.Carolers also carried the star of colored paper and highlighted from the inside, which they moved in the rhythm of music. Wishes were given as a poems or sung as a carol.In return for their good wishes and good luck with the harvest, the hosts gave carol singers tidbits or small amounts of money.

It is now becoming less frequent custom of Christmas. Carol singers can be found even today in some Polish regions, especially in villages and small towns.

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CarolsIn the Polish tradition there are religious songs sung during the Christmas time. Singing Christmas carols are in Polish tradition from the fifteenth century.The most beautiful Christmas carols sung so far in Polish homes have more than 200 - year tradition.These include Christmas carols like: "In a manger lies", "God is born, the powers tremble", "Sleep sweet Jesus”.Poles like to sing carols and have for them a special sentiment.In difficult times in Polish history, carols and national songs were reminiscent of Polish tradition and language. So often these are the songs of the solemn and sublime mood.Poland has got the biggest collection of carols in Europe.

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Midnight Mass / Shepherdess’ Mess

Ends Christmas Eve celebration in the churches at midnight mass called Shepherds’ Mess. It commemorates shepherds came to Bethlehem, and their homage to the newborn Jesus.

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Christmas recipesDRY FRUIT COMPOTE

- 100 g of dried apples- 100 g dried pears- 100 g dried plums

- 100 g dried apricots- sugar

- Cloves

Wash fruits and pour them over with boiled water for the whole night.Add the cloves and then cook fruits adding sugar for taste.Bon Appetit !!!

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CHRISTMAS SAUERKRAUT

- 1 kg of sauerkraut- few dried mushrooms

- 5 tablespoons of flaxseed oil- 2 tablespoons of wheat flour

- ½ kg of beans

Wash the dried mushrooms, soaked in water, drain and add to sauerkraut - cook as long as it will be soft.Heat linseed oil in a frying pan, add flour and brown it. Pour it to the sauerkraut, mix and boil. Pour beans over with water and soak overnight. Then cook it. Serve with Christmas sauerkraut.BON APPETIT !!!

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POPPY-SEED CAKEYeast for Poppy seed:- 1 kg of wheat flour-10 grams of yeast- 10 eggs- 0.5 kg of sugar- milk-salt to taste-flavors to taste-butter

Poppy pulp:- ½ kg of poppy seeds- 1 cube of butter- 2 tablespoons of honey- sugar to taste- 3 eggs- walnuts, almonds, raisins

Preparation:Rub yeast with sugar, and when it be very soft mix it with milk heated to 24- 30 C. Then mix it with flour making it close to sour cream density. Leave it to rise in a warm place until it increase the volume by 100%.Then, beat eggs with sugar. Add them to yeast, put some salt and flavors, and mix thoroughly to form dough. At the end of kneading, pour gradually the fat (melted and cooled) and still knead the dough until it is smooth and stands out from the vessel. Leave the dough covered to rise in a warm place.

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POPPY-SEED CAKE

Pulp preparation:Soak poppy-seeds overnight, drain and grind 3 times.Melt the butter with sugar in a saucepan, add the ground poppy seeds and boil on low heat for 10 minutes. Then add three eggs and boil again. Lastly, add raisins.Leave the poppy pulp to cool.

Knead the dough again, roll it making the flat cake. Put the poppy pulp on it and roll into the roulade.Grease a mold, sprinkle with bread crumbs and put the rolled dough.Bake in preheated oven about 1 hour.Bon Appetit !!!

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If you want to feel the atmosphere of Polish Christmas, we

encourage you to prepare one of Christmas Eve dishes, decorate theChristmas tree with a traditional

Polish ornaments and listen to thecarols performed by the youngest

students from our school.

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We hope that Christmas tree ornaments, Polish

Christmas carols and a package of information about

Christmas traditions in Poland captured and encourage you

to visit our country.

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We invite you all and

on behalf of our school

we wish you

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!